Goats/BOTTLE JAW

QuestionHi , thought I had seen the last of this , but one of my Does picked up a load of pinworms . I did a fecal on her and that is all there was , very low counts of cocci , right where I want it . As you may remember I wormed this winter with the horse bolus Fenbendazole 10% , but after they freshened I didn't worm with the ivermectin , but the bolus again , apparently doesn't target pinworm . On top all that she has a mild case of mastitis which i'm treating . She has been wormed , and her poop is back to normal , but the bottle jaw not there in the morning , but there at night . Her gums and eyelids are pinking up , and I have given her new cell at 4 cc for three days , and tonight i lowered it to 2 cc . That's the question , not sure how long I can use the new cell and at what dose ? Thanks
P.S. The calf is slowly getting better , but the joint is still rather swollen , but he now walks on it bearing all his weight , which tells me the inflammation is leaving .

AnswerI don't use the new cell - I only use human iron tablets or Geritol liquid to treat for the anemia, so I can't help with the new cell dosing. It depends on how much iron is in the new cell - too much and the goat will get constipated. For goats if I use the human iron tablets it is 50 mg tablets and I give this at double that dose twice a day for a week, and at the same time treat for what is causing the anemia - so use the Safeguard fenbendazole oral horse wormer at three times the goat's weight to find the dosing, and treat once a week for three weeks. If the lower inner eyelids (this is the place to check for anemia) are pink then I would say the anemia is resolving. It is possible that if she is not drinking enough water then by evening this allows the bottle jaw to return.

Glad the calf is doing better. It can take joints a long time to lose the swelling. I continue with the aspirin until swelling is gone. Hope this helps - Donna

Expertise

Experience

27 years health care/nutrition of all types of goats, 17 years experience in packgoats, 20 years experience in 4H goat projects as leader, superintendent and judge. 20 years experience in putting on goat care/nutrition seminars.